Loyalty
by ariel2me
Summary: The Alicia-Will confrontation after the news about Florrick, Agos & Associates comes to light.


"Why?"

"Will -"

"You went behind our back? How could you do this to Lockhart-Gardner? We've stood by you, Diane and I."

She _should_ have an answer; she's been waiting for the other shoe to drop for months, for Will and Diane to finally find out about Florrick-Agos. But nothing she could say seemed adequate at the moment.

"How could you do this to _me_, Alicia?"

"Will, this has nothing to do with what happened between us. _Nothing_. It's a professional decision. A career decision."

He stood up from his chair and moved closer towards her. "I wasn't talking about _us_. About our personal relationship. I was talking about professional courtesy. Professional courtesy from a lawyer I recommended for a job with Lockhart-Gardner in the first place, from a lawyer whose candidacy as a partner I supported wholeheartedly! Is that too much to ask for, Alicia? You could have warned me, at least. Instead, you and Cary schemed and plotted behind our back, stealing our clients for your new firm."

"Those clients chose to come with us to Florrick-Agos," Alicia pointed out.

"Because Lockhart-Gardner never had a chance to make our case to them. You, Cary and your merry band of fourth-year associates ambushed us." Will paused, moving backwards to put more distance between them. Alicia breathed a sigh of relief. The last time the two of them had argued at close quarters, it did not end as it should. That kiss was a mistake, she told herself for possibly the hundredth time.

Will was not finished. "Is loyalty too much to ask for?"

Loyalty? Alicia was outraged. "Why do you think the fourth-year wanted out from Lockhart-Gardner in the first place, Will? Lockhart-Gardner promised us partnerships when the firm was in trouble, and then yanked away the offer when the firm was profitable again. Why? Because the senior partners didn't want to have to share the profits with more people. Where was Lockhart-Gardner's loyalty to us? Or is loyalty supposed to go only in one direction?"

"I was against that," Will replied heatedly. "I wanted the firm to honor our promise to the fourth-year associates. I was outvoted. Alicia, you _know_ this."

"I know. But it still doesn't change the outcome."

Will turned his back on her, his gaze fixed on the bright lights outside his office window. "_You_ got your partnership. I don't remember you turning it down because of loyalty to the other fourth-year who were denied theirs."

She had always known that he would use that against her, would throw it in her face when push comes to shove. But knowing and anticipating did nothing to lessen the hurt. And the disappointment.

"Whose idea was it, Will? To divide and conquer us. Was it yours?"

_Did you offer me the partnership because you thought I'm the one most likely to fold?_

Will gave her no reply. Alicia was not certain she wanted to know the answers after all, to the question she _did_ ask Will, and to the one she didn't.

She had owned up to what she did about the partnership to herself, to Cary and to the other fourth-year. She owed Will and Lockhart-Gardner no explanation for that.

She _did_ owe Will an apology for something else, though.

"I'm sorry, Will. I really am. For going behind your back. But that was the only way to make it happen. You know that as well as I do."

"But not sorry enough to change your mind?" Will was smiling ever so slightly.

To Alicia's distress, a small part of her _did_ consider it, if only for the briefest of moment. "No," she finally said, shaking her head sadly. "I have to do this. For Zach and Grace. For myself."

Will nodded. "I get it," he said softly.

"Thank you, Will. For everything. I've learned so much watching you and Diane in action over the years."

"But now you want to be your own Will and Diane. Building your own firm, like we did."

She smiled. "Aren't you flattered?

He smiled too. "Well, that depends."

"On what?"

He shrugged as if to say, "_Figure it out for yourself_."

"I should go. It's late."

"Best of luck, Alicia. I mean it."

"I know you do, Will."

"And get ready for a trashing in court from Lockhart-Gardner."

"Not if Florrick, Agos & Associates crush you first."


End file.
